Covid-19: Nearly 70 Spanish medics positive after Christmas party

MADRID, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Almost 70 medics who attended a large Christmas party in southern Spain have since tested positive for Covid-19, authorities say. Most of the 68 infected are doctors and nurses working in the intensive care unit at Málaga’s regional hospital. Health authorities said they were all…

Kenyan policeman shoots dead six people including wife

NAIROBI, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A police officer in Kenya shot dead his wife and five other people with an AK-47 in the early hours of Tuesday morning, officials have said. A neighbour heard “a loud bang” from the officer’s home at 01:00 local time, according to a police report.…

Covid-19: Top WHO, US scientists say Omicron no worse than other virus variants

  GENEVA, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Omicron variant appears to be no worse than other coronavirus strains, top scientists from the WHO and the United States said, while cautioning that more research is needed to judge itsseverity.   The hopeful assessments came as global concern grew over the heavilymutated…

Scholz takes reins from Merkel for new German era

   BERLIN, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Olaf Scholz will become chancellor of Germany on Wednesday, turning the page on 16 years with Angela Merkel at the helm as a new centre-left-led coalition takes the wheel of Europe’s top economy.   Scholz, who will be formally elected by the Bundestag lower…

Russia to deliver Japanese billionaire to the ISS

BAIKONUR (Kazakhstan), Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Russian rocket on Wednesday send a Japanese billionaire to the International Space Station, marking the nation’s return to space tourism after a decade-long pause that saw the rise of competition from privately held US companies.    Online fashion tycoon Yusaku Maezawa and his…

Colombian guerrilla reported killed in Venezuela; no official word

BOGOTA, Dec 8 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — A former Colombian Armed Revolutionary Forces (FARC) combatant who took part in the 2016 peace negotiations with the Government of then-President Juan Manuel Santos has been killed in Venezuela, it was reported. After the truce, Hernan Dario Velasquez (a.k.a. El Paisa) announced he would be…

US hits Uganda’s Chief of Military Intelligence with sanctions

KAMPALA, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) has expressed disappointment following financial sanctions imposed against Maj General Abel Kandiho by the United States (US) government. Maj Gen Kandiho who is the Chief of Military Intelligence in UPDF was slapped with sanctions over alleged human rights abuses…

Ancient Peruvian mummy goes on show at Lima museum

The mummified remains were bound by ropes and had the hands covering the face LIMA, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A pre-Incan mummy found in Peru and thought to be between 800 and 1,200 years old, went on display at the San Marcos University in Lima after archaeologists reported finding the…

Zimbabwe to ban unvaccinated from public transport as omicron wrecks havoc

HARARE, Dec 8 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Zimbabwean government on Tuesday expressed deep concern at the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the country driven by the omicron variant and plans to bar the unvaccinated from boarding public transport. “Cabinet notes with concern that there has been a sharp increase in…

Tunisian president meets visiting Palestinian counterpart

Tunisian president Kais Saied (R) meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Tunis TUNIS, Dec 8 (NNN-Xinhua) — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Tunisia Tuesday on an official visit at the invitation of his Tunisian counterpart Kais Saied, the Tunisian presidency announced in a statement. Abbas was greeted at…